June, 2010
June 2nd, 2010, 11:25 p.m. - They're really stepping it up with the heartbreaking backstories
June 3rd, 2010, 10:59 p.m. - Brian! Alex! Billy! Everyone is awesome!
June 4th, 2010, 7:49 p.m. - Alex, Billy, or Alexie for the win!
Glee - "Funk": Maybe instead of giving the kids assignments every week, Will should teach them about different music styles, because they don't seem to understand what funk is. Rating: 4 gigantic trophies
So You Think You Can Dance - L.A., Chicago, Dallas, and Nashville auditions, and Vegas week begins: We're soooo close. I'm very excited to see how the top ten shapes up and how they work with the all-stars. This is going to be an awesome season. Rating: 4 Cosby sweaters
June 12th, 2010, 4:02 p.m. - Combo TV/book post!
Glee - "Journey": A solid ending to a mostly solid season. They're going to have to stop having the weekly problem be Sue trying to take down the club, though. It's already old. Rating: 4 really weird uses of "Bohemian Rhapsody"
So You Think You Can Dance - Vegas week continues and the top ten are revealed: I like almost all of the top 11, so I'm happy about that. (My one holdout is Melinda, who bugs me more each time I see her, and I still can't quite put my finger on why.) The opening routines were awesome, and things can only go up from here. Rating: 4 parasols
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15. Heart-Shaped Box (Joe Hill)
16. Horns (Joe Hill)
17. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake (Aimee Bender)
Up next: The Passage (Justin Cronin)
June 17th, 2010, 8:42 a.m. - Robert and Mia are going to start braiding each other's hair next
11:01 p.m. - Not cool, America
June 19th, 2010, 3:24 p.m. - Get Tracey off my TV
So You Think You Can Dance - Top 11 perform and one goes home: Alexie out first? Really? Really? Sigh. I mean...sigh. Did more people really vote for Ashley than Alexie? That makes no sense. Maybe America doesn't like likable people anymore. Rating: 3 randomly thrown blazers
Top Chef - "House of Chef-Presentatives": I'm going to predict right here that Angelo will make at least the final five and not win. It's too obvious, right? What's the fun of watching the whole season if it's that obvious? Rating: 4 poorly cooked shrimp, which are never a good omen
June 23rd, 2010, 10:56 p.m. - Well, tries to, anyway
June 25th, 2010, 6:10 p.m. - I don't get it
June 26th, 2010, 5:49 p.m. - I wish the chefs would pick on each other at Judges' Table every week
So You Think You Can Dance - Top ten perform and one goes home: Okay, America, you're going to have to keep trying to get rid of Melinda until the judges get the hint. Or until they stop getting to make the decision. Apparently you've gotten through to them but Adam and Mia haven't followed through. Maybe send them some cookies to literally sweeten the deal? Rating: 4 genie-containing lamps
Top Chef - "Outside the Lunch Box": Ug, Amanda is awful. I hope she goes home next week. She's even more annoying than Angelo and his celery-less celery thing. Just shut up forever, Amanda. Rating: 4 pounds of sugar Jacqueline apparently didn't think would make a difference in nutrition
7:16 p.m. - Huge book, tiny review
18. The Passage (Justin Cronin)
Up next: Broken (Karin Slaughter)
I picked this up at the last minute just before I left the library with Horns, thinking I'd try it and at least wouldn't be out any money if I didn't like it. I'm so glad I got it, because it was excellent from beginning to end. I know Hill probably doesn't appreciate always being linked to his father, but there were times when I read this that I felt like I was reading a Stephen King book. I consider that a big compliment.
I liked this almost as much as I liked Heart-Shaped Box. Very clever, very original, and very satisfying. Please write your next book quickly, Hill!
Very sad, and very well-written, but not as good as I thought it would be. Kind of a letdown after reading two excellent books.
766 pages, and almost every one of them was worth it.